Vessel-holding device.



No. 7|2,2|5. Patented not. 28-, I902."

G. E. TITCOMB. VESSEL HOLDING DEVICE.

(Applipation filed Jan. 7, 1901. Renewed Mar. 27, 1902.) I (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet I.

lg'gzesses, giwfl ED452404 1H: "cams PETERS m. wonxu'rnov, WASHIHGTON, n. c.

N0. 7|2,2l5. Patented Oct. 28, I902.

- G. E. TITCOMB.

VESSEL HOLDING DEVICE.

(Application filed Jan. 7, 1901. Renewed. Mar. 27, 1902.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

lllll new THE Norms PETERS co. Pam's-Lima, WASHINGTON, n c

7 UNITE STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE E. TITOOMB, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

VESSEL-HOLDING DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 712,215, dated October 28, 1902.

Application filed January 7, 1901. Renewed March 27, 1902. Serial No. 100,165. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

it is designed for use in connection with un loading apparatus to facilitate the unloading operation. In operating those kinds of unloading apparatus which are adapted to remove bulk cargoes, such as coal or ore, and especially with apparatus which is characterized by a bucket carried by a depending,

leg or guide, it has been found in practice very diflicult to maintain the constant necessary relationship between the hatch and the unloading members,while the consequent strain upon the cables ordinarily used to se cure the ship in place'is very destructive of them.

It is the object of this invention to provide means for securely holding a ship against lateral movement with respect to the unloading apparatus.

The invention consists, broadly, in providing a strut or struts against which the hull of the ship is pressed by approved means, the entire contrivance permitting perfect freedom in all movement due to the buoyancy of the ship, but especially preventing a change in relative position of the unloading apparatus and the open hatch.

More especially, the invention lies in the construction and combination of parts, more fully described hereinafter and set forth in the claims.

In the drawings which fully illustrate my invention, Figure 1 is a side elevation of an unloading apparatus to which my invention has been applied, a sectional diagram of a portion of a ship being shown to more fully illustrate how my invention adapts itself to its purpose. Fig. 2 is a sectional plan, parts being shown broken away to disclose more fully the controlling mechanism. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the holding apparatus and is a detail of parts shown on a smaller scale I in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a front elevation of part of the mechanism, some of which is shown in central vertical section.

The unloading apparatus shown, which is simply illustrative, consists, essentially, of a bridge having two parallel guides carrying a track upon which is mounted the carriage B, the bridge being provided with legs a a,which carry truck-wheels running upon tracks laid parallel with the dock. The carriage 13 carries a beam b, upon the outer end of which is suspended a leg I), at the foot of which leg isa scoop -or bucket 17 Cables b and b the former of which runs to the bucket 22*, the latter of which is anchored to the inner end of the beam b, illustrates means for controlling the movements of the bucket and beam, respectively. When the cable b is drawn, the clam-shell bucket is closed, and when the cable 1) is also wound in the leg I) and bucket, with the inclosed load, is elevated, the parallel link 1) keeping the leg vertical. After the bucket is elevated the'carriage is moved to bring the load to the desired point-for dumping, as above one of the cars. Any suitable means maybe employed for controlling the movements of the carriage and bridge.

In applying my invention to such an outfit as I have briefly described I provide between the front legs a a a vertically-movable cross head or trolley O, and I provide this trolley with horizontally-proj ecting struts E E',which are adapted to take against the ships gunwale. LinesD D run from this trolley and are connected with grapples or hooks d d,

which hooks take over the end of the hatch, preferably through the interposed 'beam 61 of these legs is fastened a pair of channels a a facing toward each other, as shown, and in the recess so formed by them wheels 0 c of the trolley O are guided. This trolley O is a substantial construction, comprising sides 0 c, which project in between the chan- Upon the front face of each nels a and carry the Wheels 0 already referred to, and between these sides are secured cross-beams 0 preferably of channel-iron and disposed as shown. A frame 0 of angleiron affords support for the bearings 0 Other bearings 0 0 carried by the sides 0 c, aline with these, and the shaft F passes through them. To each end of the shaft F is secured a drum-pulley f. Cables G, each of which has one end fast to the periphery of one of said drum-pulleys and the other fastenedinto an anchor-bolt a on the lower side of the bridge A, furnish means whereby the rotation of the shaft operates to raise the trolley. The shaft F may be rotated by mechanism presently to be explained. A worm-wheel H and a drum-pulley h, which are rigidly secured together, are rotatably mounted upon the shaft F. There is also provided a similar worm-wheel H and drum-pulley h, the former of which is rigidly secured to an inner sleeve 71*, the pulley h being rotatably mounted upon it and the inner sleeve itself being rotatable upon the shaft F. A sleeve L is slidablysplined upon the inner sleeve 7L2, and it constitutes a clutch member which may codperate with the drum-pulley 72,,which has teeth on its side for that purpose, or which may cooperate with the clutch member F, which is rigidly secured to the shaft F. On the peripheries of the drum-pulleys h h are secured the short cables D D, already referred to, which, as stated, are fastened to the grapples d d. By this means motion may be transmitted from the worm-wheel H to the shaft F or to the drum-pulley h, in the first instance operating to raise the trolley O and in the second operating to draw in the cable D. The cable D is operated independently by the drum-pulley h and the wormwheels turned respectively by means of the worms J and J mounted in bearin s c c fixed to one of the channels and operated by cranks K K. Near the ends of the trolley on the side facing the water are threaded openings in which are mounted the screwstruts E E, having caps e e rotatably mounted upon their heads e 0. These caps are each provided with a lug 6 which take over the gunwale of the ship. The heads 8 e may be provided with spike-holes for turning them. Between the channels a c I prefer to secure a plate P, carrying a bollard 19, which bollard may have a line taking around it, the ends of which being fast to the ship assist in preventing longitudinal movement of the latter with respect to the unloading apparatus.

The mode of operation and manipulation of contrivance may be already inferred from the foregoing. hen the ship has been brought up to the dock, the sleeve L is shifted to the left. The crank K being then turned, the trolley O is raised or lowered to a proper position. The screws E E and their caps are then adjusted to bring them into proper relation to the gunwale. Now the grapples are hooked into the hatch-opening, and the two cables D and D are wound in independently by their cranks, the sleeve L being thrown to the right to connect the worm-wheel II with the drum h. This effectually secures the trolley C to the ship, though allowing the trolley to rise as the ship rises during the unloading. At the end of the operation of unloading the cranks are turned to loosen the cables D D, and the sleeve L is shifted back to the left, thus establishing connection between the worm J and the drums fand holding the trolley in place ready for convenient initial positioning for the next vessel. The cranks are so placed that they may be conveniently operated from the deck of the ship.

Having described my invention, I claim-- 1. The combination, with a ship-unloading apparatus having a leg movable parallel with the dock edge, of a vertically-movable clamp carried thereby and adapted to engage the ship and prevent it from moving toward or from the unloading apparatus, substantially as described.

2. The combination with a ship-unloading apparatus having a leg movable parallel with the dock edge, of a vertically-movable trolley carried thereby, a strut carried by said trolley and adapted to engage the side of a ship, and means carried by the trolley and adapted to engage the end of a hatch-opening and hold the ship against said strut, substantially as described.

3. The combination with ship-unloading apparatus of a clamping device carried thereby for holding the ship in place, means for initially moving said clamping device to bring it to proper position to engage the loaded ship, said clamping device being capable of thereafter rising freely as the ship rises during unloading, substantially as described.

4. In a vessel-holding device, the combination of a vertical guide, a member movable thereon, means for securing said member to the body of a ship, and means for initially moving said member to the proper position for engagement, said member thereafter being capable of rising freely as the ship rises, substantially as described.

5. In a vessel-holding device, the combination of a vertical guide, a member movable thereon, and means for securing it to the body of a ship, a supporting-cable for said member, means engaging the same to move said member to an initial position, the member being thereafter capable of freely rising, substantially as described.

6. In a vessel'holding device, the combination of a vertical guide, a clamp movable thereon and adapted to engage a ship, a supporting-cable for said clamp, and mechanism on the clamp and adapted to be operated from the ship for winding in said cable to vary the initial position of the clamp, substantially as described.

7. In a vessel-holding device, the combination of a vertical guide, a movable member thereon, means for rigidly securing said memher to the upper edge of a ship, preventing the ship from approaching or receding from the member said means however allowing some play to the lower end of the boat without disturbing the clamping connection, substantially as described.

8. In a ship-holding device, in combination,

and lowering said member, cables adapted to secure said member to a ship, and means carried by said member for operating said cables, substantially as described.

11. In combination, a vertical guide, a member guided thereby, horizontally-projecting screws carried by said member and adapted to take against the side of a ship, means for raising and lowering said member, cables adapted to draw said ship against said screws, and means carried by said member for operating the same, substantially as described.

12. In combination, a Vertically-movable member, horizontally-projecting screw-struts carried by said member, caps swiveled upon the outer ends of saidscreW-struts and means for binding the side of a vessel against said screw-struts, substantially as described.

13. In combination, a verticallymovable member, horizontally-projecting screws carried by said member, swiveled caps carried by said screws and having flanges adapted to take over the gunwale of a ship, and means 'for securing a ship against said caps, substantially as described.

14:. In a ship-holding device, in combination, a vertical guide, a member slidable along the same, a crank, a cable adapted tobe fastened to a ship and operated by said crank, and means whereby said crank may raise or lower said member or draw in said cable, substantially as described.

15. The combination of a vertical guide, a member movable up and down on the same, a supporting-cable for said member, a cable for drawing the ship toward said member, and means adapted to be operated from the deck of the ship for winding in each cable, substantially as described.

16. The combination of ship-unloading apparatus, with a ship-holding device including a member vertically guided by said apparatus, a shaft carried by said member,'a pulley on said shaft, a cable running from said pulley to the unloading apparatus, and a worm and worm-wheel for rotating said shaft whereby the member may be raised or lowered but remains in position against the action of gravity, means for clamping the vessel to said member, the member being adapted to freely rise as the vessel rises in unloading, substantially'as described.

17. ha ship-holding device, in combination, a vertically-guided member, a shaft car-' ried thereby, a pulley on said shaft, a cable adapted to be secured at one end to a ship and taking at the other end over saidpulley, another pulley on said shaft, another cable taking into the last-mentioned pulley, one of said pulleys being loose on the shaft, a Worm, a worm-wheel operated by the worm, and a clutch adapted to connect said worm-wheel to drive either of said pulleys, substantially as described.

18. In a ship-holding device, in combination, a beam adapted to engage the end of a hatch-opening,cables leading from saidbeam, a pair of Vertical guides, a cross-head guided thereby, drums on said cross-head on which said cables wind, and mechanism adapted to be operated from the deck of the ship to drive said drums, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE E. '-1ITOOMB.-

Witnesses:

ALBERT H. BATES, H. M. WIsE. 

